Mechanism for temporarily locking water-closet bowls or washbasins.



No. 706,869. lPatented Aug. l2, |902.

E. WOODRUFF. y HECHANISM FOR TEMPORABILY LOCKING WATER CLOSET BOWLS OR WASHBASINS.

(Application lqd May 8, 1902.)

2 Sheets-$hee1t l (No Model.)

-wme56 6.5 x l fw No. 706,859. Patenfd Aug. l2, |902. E. woounuFF.

MECHANISMFUR TEMPURABILY LUCKING WATER CLOSET BUWLS 0H WASHBASINS.

(Application led Hay 8. 1902.\

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITED Starts lida-riant" Fries,

EDWARD WOODRUFF, OF O'IIIOAGO, ILLINOIS.

SPECIFICATION-forming part of Letters Patent No. 706,869, dated August 12, 1902. Application filed Mays, 1902. SerialNo. 106,475. A(No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD WOODRUFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at-Chi cago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Mechanism for Temporarily Locking Water-Closet Bowls or Washstands, of which the following is a specification in its best form now known to me, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters indicate the same parts throughout the several views.

Vhere a landlord has vacant houses or flats, and also in public places where plumbing is out oforder, it is frequently desirable to have means at hand for temporarily locking the tops of the bowls of water -closets and of washstands, so that they cannot be used.

The object of my invention is to provide mechanism for accomplishing this purpose which can be easily and cheaply made and applied to openings of different sizes which are to be closed, which shall be adjustable to fit such different openings, and which shall not be liable to get out of order.

lWIy invention also consists in means for locking the same in place and in details of construction hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

ln the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view showing the bowl of a bathroom watercloset with the device embodying mly inven tion applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the saine.' Fig, 3 is'a'detail View showing the parts forming the apparatus of my invention separated from eachother, but in position to be put together. Fig. 4t is a detail View ot' a modification by means of which the arms of the cross-pieces may be made extensible.

Referring again to the drawings, o; represents the bowl of an ordinary bath-room water-closet having around its upper edge the flange I) and having hinged to it the usual seat c. In order to temporarily close and lock the bowl, I provide a plate d, preferably of iron or steel, adapted to cover the top of the bowl a. Belowthis Iprovide two horizontal bars or arms e and f, pivotally mounted on the lower end of a threaded bolt g, which is adapted to pass through a hole 7L in plate d. These bars e and f are of su Hicient length so they willwhen spread lit under and engage the ange b. The bar fhas lugs t' on its ends, so that the tops of the two lugs i and the uppersurfaces of the bar e are in the same horizontal plane, thereby allowing the ends ot' both e and fto simultaneously bear against the under side of flange h.

Mounted in a staplej or barf is a hook 7a, having its end adapted to enterone of the holes Z on arm c, as shown in Fig. 3, from which it will appear that by inserting the end ofthe hook 7c in different ones of the holes l, thereby varying the angle of bar s e andf to each other, the device mayv be applied to closet-bowls of diierent sizes, for the shape ofthebowls usually being in the form of an ellipse it is possible by varying the angle of the bars e andfto make their ends bear at some point on the narrow portion of a very largebowland at the end portions of a very small bowl. 'Another advantage of having the arms e andfpivoted is that they may be closed forinsertionthrough the circular openn ing in the top of a washbowl where a circular plate of the diameter of the arms e and j" would not go through. They may then be separated and locked by the hook 7c. If further extensibility of the arms is desired, it may be procured by placing on the ends of the arms or bars e andf extension portions on, as shown in Fig. 4, the extension member being provided with a slot n, adapted to rit around rivet o and bolt 19, passing through the bare or f, the adjustment being obtained by loosening the bolt y), moving the parts @or j and fm toward or from each other, and then. tightening the bolt again.

I provide a thu mb-screw nut @,adapted to Iit and work on the threads of bolt g. The sides of this nut are out away in parallel flat p0rtions fr.

Secured to plate CZ by a staple s is a hasp I', adapted to iit over the staple u and be secured thereto by a padlock 11j. This hasp is cut out in the straight lines w, so that when the hasp is locked down the edges of the opening w will bear-against the sides r ot the thumb-nut q and prevent its turning.

The bars e and f are preferably held on the lower end of bolt g by a check-nut w, which does not, however, prevent one of the arms ICO moving with reference to the other. It may, however, be tightened down, if desired, to fasten the arms rigidly together.

In the operation of my invention I first separate the parts, as shown in Fig. 3, the hook 7c being loosened and the arms e andf swung close together. I now insert the arms` e andfinside the opening to be closed and spread the arms e and f until they bear firmly against the under side of the iiange h or the under surface of the washstand, as the case may be. I now place the plate d so that the hole h permits it to pass down over bolt g. I now move hasp t out of the way and screw down the nut at, thereby drawing the plate d down toward arms e and f and securing it to the top of the opening to be closed. I now replace the hasp t, as shown in Fig. 3, and lock it, as shown in Figs. l and 2. To remove the appliance, I unlock and remove the padlockand reverse the operations just described.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to exact details of construction, which may be varied within reasonable limits without departing from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a plato adapted to cover the opening in the receptacle to be closed, mechanism in a horizontal plane below said plate adjustable horizontally within said plane to lit inside of receptacles of different sizes and engage the under sides of the Iianges of said receptacles, a bolt passing through said lastmentioned mechanism and said plate, mechanism for tightening said bolt, and mechanism for locking the tightening mechanism for the purposes set forth.

2. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a plate adapted to cover the opening in the receptacle to be closed, a bolt through said plate, two arms'crossing each other on the bottom of said bolt, adapted to be moved to and from each other, and also adapted to have their ends bear against the inside of the rim of the receptacle to be closed, adjustable means for securingsaid arms in different positions with reference to each other, mechanism for tightening said bolt, and mechanism for locking said bolt so that it cannot be loosened, for the purposes set forth.

3. In mechanism of the class described, the combination-of a plate adapted to cover the opening in the receptacle to be closed, a bolt through said plate, two arms crossing each other on the bottom of said bolt adapted to be moved to and from each other, and also adapted to have their ends bear against the inside of the rim of thereceptacle to be closed, means for Varying the lengths of said arms, adjustable means .for securing said arms in dierent positions with reference to each other, mechanism for tightening said bolt,

and mechanism for locking said bolt so thatv it cannot be` loosened, for the purposes set forth.

4. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a plate adapted to cover the opening in the receptacle to be closed, a bolt through said plate, two arms crossing each other mounted on the bottom of said bolt adapted to be moved to and from each other and also adapted to have their ends bear against the under side of the rim of the receptacle to be closed, a hook loosely secured to one arm having its end bent so as to engage holes along one end of the other arm whereby said arms may be secured in different positions with reference to each other, mechanism for tightening said bolt, and mechanism for locking said bolt so that it cannot be loosened, for the purposes set forth.

5. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a plate adapted to cover the opening in the receptacle to be closed, a bolt through said plate, two arms crossing each other mounted on the bottom of said bolt adapted to be moved to and from each other and also adapted to have their ends bear against the under side of the rim of the receptacle to be closed, a hook loosely secured to one arm having its end bent so as to engage holes along one end of the other arm whereby said arms may be secured in different positions with reference to each other, a thumb-nut on said bolt and a hasp secured to said plate adapted to fit over said thumb-nut and secure the same against rotation, and means for locking said hasp, for the purposes set forth.

6. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a plate adapted to cover the opening in the receptacle to be closed, a bolt through said plate, two arms crossing each other mounted on the bottom of said bolt adapted to be moved to and from each other and also adapted to have their ends bear against the under side of the rim of the receptacle to be closed, a hook loosely secured to one arm having its end bent so as to engage holes along one end of the other arm whereby said arms may be secured in different positions with reference to each other, a thumb-nut on said bolt and a hasp secured to said plate adapted to fit over said thumbnut and secure the same against rotation, and means for locking said hasp, all of the parts being arranged and disposed substantially as shown and described, for the purposes set forth.

EDVARD WOODRUFF.

Witnesses:

DWIGHT B. CHEEVER, ROBERTA LEE TERRY. 

